Most of us experience sweating in the palms, feet and armpits. Producing sweat is almost a part of our daily lives. We treat this phenomenon as normal, sometimes unaware of the times that we produce excessive amounts of sweat. This is the primary symptom of hyperhidrosis. It is usually characterized by producing perspiration greater than the amount the body needed for thermal regulation. At first, we tend to disregard it, until we start feeling sticky in the armpits and our palms stay wet even while at rest. Soon, this uncomfortable condition begins to intrude into and affect your social life. It is probably the right time you knew more about excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis.

According to some studies, 3% of the total population suffers from hyperhidrosis. Most sufferers notice excessive sweating on specific parts of the body such as the underarms (axillary hyperhidrosis), face (facial hyperhidrosis) and feet (planar hyperhidrosis). As you see, sweating on these parts of the body is very common to most of us. We tend to be blind and treat this as normal, not knowing that it is already a symptom of hyperhidrosis. It is not widely known that such a disorder is a very serious medical condition that requires proper diagnosis and treatment.

Hyperhidrosis occurs when there is an abnormal response from the sweat nerves. A part of the brain called hypothalamus is responsible in sending the sensory signals to the sweat nerves. The hypothalamus is located in the chest cavity. The sweat nerves, as a part of the sympathetic nervous system, in turn throws signals to the sweat glands which results to producing sweat. When the signals violate the sending and response process, hyperhidrosis occurs. The sweat glands begin to produce excessive amount of sweats, and this liquid will seek outlets on your underarms, face, palms and feet, resulting to unwanted perspiration in such parts of our body.

We cannot purely blame all this to the uneven responses of our sweat nerves, however. There are a lot of factors contributing to why we perspire so much. By doing intense jobs and heavy activities such as vigorous exercise, we can expel extra liquid in our body. Our emotions can also trigger to generate sweat. Sweating stabilizes the corporal body temperature, especially when doing such activities.

Our skin glands are also the primary factor why hyperhidrosis occurs. Our skin has two kinds of glands: the apocrines and the eccrines. The apocrines do not contribute much in the regultation of body temperature. Basically, these glands can be found in the hair follicle and are not involved in the process of hyperhidrosis. The gland eccrines, on the other hand, is the major contributor for the hyperhidrosis. The increased secretion of the gland eccrines is the cause of such abnormalities. Eccrines are more concentrated in parts of the body such as the armpits, feet, palms, and are very important in regulating the body temperature.

Hyperhidrosis can be primary or secondary. Primary Hyperhidrosis has no specific origin. This is the most common type of hyperhidrosis and is attributed to a genetic factor. Everybody has the tendency to acquire primary hyperhidrosis, and this commonly manifests during the earlier stages of the person’s life. Secondary hyperhidrosis, on the other hand, is an acquired disorder due to an associated cause such as obesity, menopause and the use of antidepressive drugs.

Other factors such excess taking of drugs can cause sweating. Intakes of aspirin and acetaminophen, morphine, excess of the thyroid hormones, lack of feminine hormones during menopausal stage, testosterone deficit for men, and low rate of sugar in the blood can incite hyperhidrosis.

More and more people today try to follow an active lifestyle. Due to this, they are much more likely to be exposed to different people and activities than ever before. As our days get busier, we become less aware of our bodily functions, which also undergo increased activity as we encounter both physical and emotional stress on a regular basis. For most people, such stress causes the body to sweat.

Sweating is the body’s natural response to an intense situation. The nervous system immediately senses any stressors in the body’s immediate environment and signals the sweat glands to produce sweat. This helps the body, which naturally heats up during stressful moments, regulate its own temperature. This is most obvious when we are subjected to climates warmer than our own, when exercising, or when we feel nervous, angry, embarrassed, or afraid.

While sweating is perfectly normal, excessive sweating may be a sign of an underlying medical condition. Excessive sweating is normally defined as the state when the body produces more sweat than is needed to regulate the body temperature. Excessive sweating is also known by its medical term, hyperhidrosis.

Hyperhidrosis is a medical disorder characterized by excessive sweating at any part of the body. It is a medical condition that causes the sufferer to experience unpredictable and excessive sweating, even at cool and comfortable temperatures, or when they are at rest. Cases of hyperhidrosis usually affect specific parts of the body, such as hands, armpits and feet. Excessive sweating in the hands is called palmar hyperhidrosis; in the armpits, it’s called axillary hyperhidrosis; and in the feet, it’s called plantar hyperhidrosis. The sympathetic nervous system controls much of the sweating process, and any problem affecting it may affect the body’s perspiration system.

Hyperhidrosis can be primary or secondary. Primary hypehidrosis usually starts during or even before the individual’s adolescent stage. In primary hyperhidrosis, the affected part of the body may be the hands, feet, or armpits. Primary hyperhidrosis is also known as focal hyperhidrosis and can run in families. Often, sufferers ignore the symptoms of primary hyperhidrosis – according to studies, primary hyperhidrosis affects 2-3% of the population, and not even 40% of these sufferers seek medical advice regarding this disorder.

Secondary hyperhidrosis, on the other hand, may come unexpectedly. It can affect anybody at any age. This type of hyperhidrosis is the result of an underlying condition, such as a disorder of the thyroid or pituitary gland, diabetes mellitus, tumors, gout, menopause, certain drugs, or mercury poisoning. The symptoms of secondary hyperhidrosis may be more serious than primary hyperhidrosis.

Regardless of the type and reason for onset, hyperhidrosis poses a serious physical and psychological problem for the sufferer. The discomfort and embarrassment the condition brings may affect the individual emotionally, and may cause him/her to delay or even forego treatment. It’s important to set aside fears and see a dermatologist immediately once your levels of perspiration causes you to worry. Identified early, hyperhidrosis may necessitate only mild forms of treatment and be prevented from escalating any further.

Wet armpits are, without a doubt, very uncomfortable. Excessive underarm sweating is also known as axillary hyperhidrosis. This embarrassing condition often results in bad odor and wetness. So does sweaty feet – it’s hard to concentrate on much else when your toes are moving in muck. Handshakes aren’t as congenial with wet palms. People suffering from excessive sweating, no matter their age, prefer to avoid any form of social contact for fear of embarrassing themselves. They work alone, keep hands in their pockets, stay home on weekends – anything to keep anyone from learning of their condition.

Excessive sweating – that is, producing more perspiration than the normal amount usually secreted by the body – affects people of all ages, though it is often more often found in adolescents and young adults. At this stage, one might experience sweaty palms, feet and underarms. Whichever part of the body the condition hits, it usually stays with the individual for the rest of his life unless treated through medical or surgical means.

Most likely, an individual’s profession contributes to excessive sweating. Sufferers of such disorders are people who experience constant anxiety and tension. Those who suffer from facial and underarm sweating at night most likely work in front of an audience most of the time, such as speakers and musicians. No profession is exempted from excessive sweating, but jobs like models, TV personalities, chefs, executives, attorneys, and salesman are at highest risk.

Several surgical procedures can free individuals from such turmoil, as well as other treatments as botox injections, iontophoresis. or drysol. The downside to these treatments is that they might cause permanent physiological damage to an individual.

Individuals may seek help from dermatologists and other skin care professionals qualified to treat excessive sweating. Treatment may involve surgical procedures, such as sweating surgery, thoracic surgery procedure, and surgery for sweaty hands. These surgical procedures may leave scars and blemishes in the treated parts of the skin due to the some reaction to the medicine, but these will heal in time.

Removing the overactive sweat glands in the body may cure excessive sweating. Surgery must only be performed by a qualified doctor.

Recently, studies show that nerve nodes in the thorax are responsible for the innervations of the sweat glands in the upper limbs and the face, in turn causing the excessive sweating. To control this, a micro-invasive surgical technique has been developed as an effective surgical treatment to access the nerve nodes in the thorax. This treatment is known as Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS), a surgical technique that interrupts the sympathetic chain. This treatment aims to reduce, if not eliminate, excessive sweating in particular areas of the body such as hands, feet, and face. The procedure, supervised by a board eligible anesthesiologist, may last up to 30 minutes.

When you think you’re suffering from excessive sweating, it’s often best to consult a dermatologist as early as possible. Excessive sweating may have a tendency to worsen over time, and dermatologists are equipped with the knowledge to ascertain the severity of the medical condition, as well as the equipment needed to treat it.

Axillary hyperhidrosis involves profuse and tremendous perspiration of the underarms. This condition is usually accompanied by constant bad body odor that is typically resistant to commercially available deodorants and antiperspirants. Axillary hyperhidrosis poses a social and psychological risk in addition to the physical discomfort it causes.

Axillary sweating may occur by itself or in combination with any or all of the different kinds of hyperhidrosis disorders, such as in the palms, feet, or face. People afflicted by this disorder are discouraged from wearing particular clothes, materials and colors because the sweat leads to staining and deterioration of the fabric.

Profuse armpit perspiration can turn out to be an exasperating dilemma for those suffering from this condition. Axillary hyperhidrosis manifests itself through increased armpit sweat production and this is prompted by the sympathetic nervous system. A malfunction in the nerves controlling underarm sweat glands results in excessive sweat production. Axillary hyperhidrosis is at times triggered by external factors such as anxiety, psychological stress and tiredness. However, this is not a rule and there are still no evidently identified stimuli that set off unwarranted armpit perspiration.

Individuals suffering from axillary hyperhidrosis sometimes result to wearing clothes in layers, such as donning a jacket over a shirt. This way, the individual may conceal his shirt in case axillary hyperhidrosis kicks in at a bad time. It’s not uncommon for sufferers to have to change their upper garments two or three times a day, sometimes even more, due to the persistent sweating condition. Women suffering form axillary hyperhidrosis also shun garments made of delicate fabrics such as silk, since sweat marks tend to be very noticeable in such fabrics. Whatever the occasion, axillary hyperhidrosis is a cause for embarrassment for the sufferer, and may make him/her less socially secure.

This condition frequently starts during teenage years. There are, however, some cases that occur before puberty. Kids with axillary hyperhidrosis are at risk of social withdrawal at a very early age, as the other kids may find their condition a tempting target for teasing. The teasing often triggers a vicious cycle that intensifies the anxiety endured by kids during this phase, leading to a feeling of hopelessness. The idea that there is no answer to or escape from their embarrassing medical condition may lead to withdrawal and isolation, making recovery even more difficult.

People with axillary hyperhidrosis sometimes do not have the strength to open up and discuss their condition even with their own family. This is because they think that they are the only ones afflicted by this disorder. There have been instances when parents only learn about their children’s suffering after the condition has been hampering their social lives for a number of years. It’s advisable to seek professional help immediately when parents detect a lack of social interaction, grief, and low self-esteem in their child.

Treatment of hyperhidrosis often entails correcting the malfunction of the sympathetic nervous system. Surgery to remove overactive sweat glands may also be the solution. Dermatologists are well-equipped to ascertain the most suitable treatments for axillary hyperhidrosis, as well as administering such treatments.

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Compensatory hyperhidrosis usually occur after a surgical operation for axillary and palmar hyperhidrosis (sympathectomy). It’s the most common and notable side effect of sympathectomy. Other side-effects include gustatory sweating (sweating when eating), and neuralgic pain, but these are relatively rare.

Excessive sweating occurs in untreated body areas, usually in the upper or lower back and trunk, to compensate for reduced sweating in the treated areas (armpit and hands). The brain is responsible for shifting sweat production to a different body location to get rid of the perceived excess body heat. It’s actually a reflex response of the brain when it senses that it’s not cooling the body enough. The brain sends signals to the body to sweat more through the existing and undamaged sweat channels.

The symptoms of compensatory hyperhidrosis, such as profuse sweating and feeling of hotness (or sometimes coldness), may happen at irregular intervals or be constant throughout the day. Excessive sweating may occur in the lower and upper back, lower chest, abdomen, buttocks, groin and backs of the thighs. Patients who experience compensatory hyperhidrosis sweat profusely with the slightest thermal increase and physical activity.

Patients who have undergone sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis may develop compensatory hyperhidrosis soon after the operation, or later for some. On the average, sweating symptoms will remain stable six months after, but may continue to occur long after the operation.

It’s impossible to accurately predict who will and won’t develop severe compensatory hyperhidrosis after surgery. Likewise, it’s impossible to know in advance how intense the symptoms will manifest in certain patients. What’s certain is that almost all patients who undergo any form of sympathectomy experience some degree of compensatory hyperhidrosis. Its severity, however, will depend upon the levels of the interrupted sympathetic chain.

Research shows that a significant reduction in compensatory hyperhidrosis symptoms can be done by dividing the sympathetic chain at a single level (T2 sympathectomy). For older patients that have increased body mass index (BMI), it may be recommended that they undergo a temporary sympathetic block prior to permanent sympathectomy. This should help determine if compensatory hyperhidrosis would be a significant side effect for them after the operation.

Degree of tolerance for compensatory hyperhidrosis as a side effect of sympathectomy varies. Some patients may regret the surgical procedure because of the severity of the symptoms of compensatory hyperhidrosis, but this is relatively rare. Still, a majority of patients who have undergone this procedure can very well tolerate mild to moderate compensatory hyperhidrosis symptoms, which, for them, is an insignificant price to pay compared to a lifetime of trouble and discomfort from profuse underarm or hand sweating.

Since sympathectomy is a surgical procedure that’s irreversible, it’s still important that the patient be made aware of its side effects. Although most patients report that it’s an acceptable trade-off for getting rid of axillary and palmar hyperhidrosis, compensatory hyperhidrosis is something real and could be permanent, with no known cure. An informed choice is still the best privilege any patient could possibly have.

Iontophoresis is the procedure of passing an ionized substance through intact skin through the use of a direct electrical current. It’s a common treatment for hyperhidrosis, and a variation, tap water iontophoresis, is used by many dermatologists to treat the hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) of the palms and soles. Treating axillary hyperhidrosis through tap water iontophoresis is more difficult to administer, but still possible. Clinicians also use iontophoreiss to administer drugs such as anticholinergics to areas affected by the skin condition.

To date, there are two types of iontophoresis devices that are currently seeing use in the United States: (1) The Drionic Iontophoresis unit, and (2) the Fischer Model MD-1a Iontophoresis unit. These two iontophoresis devices have received approval for treating hyperhidrosis from the United States Food and Drug Administration.

The use of electricity to treat human diseases has been studied for more than two centuries, not long after its discovery in the 18th century. It’s been mentioned in a few studies that Pivati introduced the use of iontophoresis in the treatment of arthritis in the 1740’s. Further studies in the following two hundred years have confirmed the efficiency of the procedure in administering drugs through a patient’s skin.

The use of iontophoresis to treat hyperhidrosis gained popularity in the 20th century:

1936 – Ichikasa realized that drugs administered through iontophoresis resulted in reduced sweating activity in the affected area.
1940’s – In a study independent from Ichikasa’s, Takata and Shelley successfully obtained anhidrosis (the reverse of hyperhidrosis) through iontophoresis with tap water.
1968 – Levit published his ideas on a practical device that administered iontophoresis to patients, further boosting the procedure’s popularity.

Studies have also shown that the skin’s sweat glands provide the least amount of electrical resistance during an iontophoresis procedure, indicating that drugs mainly enter the patient’s skin through these channels. While iontophoresis have been used by dermatologists in attempts to treat other medical conditions (such as scleroderma and vitiligo), hyperhidrosis seems to be the only medical condition readily treated by the procedure, owing to its widespread popularity and high success rate.

Iontophoresis delivers a charged molecule across the skin. This is done by placing it near an electrode of the same charge as itself, while another electrode of opposite charged is placed on another part of the body. While this explains how drugs are transported across the skin, it does not explain how tap water iontophoresis reduces sweat output. Exactly how this is done is still a mystery, although several theories have been suggested.

One early theory suggested that iontophoresis plugged sweat gland ducts, since iatrogenic miliaria developed when iontophoresis was administered on the back, chest, or arms of patients. Microscopic analysis did show keratin plugs blocking sweat ducts, but light and electron microscopy found no such blockages in a patient treated for palmar hyperhidrosis.

It would seem that iontophoresis may cause an impairment in a sweat gland’s function instead of a blockage. Other theories suggest that the procedure raises the threshold for transmission of sympathetic nerve impulse, or that it changes the physiology of cellular secretory system. Neurotransmitter levels in the eccrine gland or surrounding microciruclation remain unchanged after iontophoresis, however, so the subject still remains open to debate.

Iontophoresis treatment regimens vary with the device used, the areas of the body to be treated, and whether the procedures will be done at home or at the clinic.